You’ll need to work with your vet to rule out any medical causes that need to be addressed. How Do You Stop It? (Picture Credit: Getty Images)īefore you try anything to stop pica, take your cat to the veterinarian. Rubber bands, food containers, and any other object that’s easy to chew and tear apart may also present a choking hazard in addition to blockages in the digestive tract. If your cat is chewing on plastic, be aware that electrical cords can present a risk, both for intestinal obstruction and electric shock. Daffodils, azaleas, geraniums, and tomato plants are all toxic to cats, as well as many other plant varieties. If your cat starts chewing your houseplants, make sure you are aware of which plants are poisonous to cats. (Picture Credit: Getty Images)Ĭats who eat grass may progress to eating outdoor plants, which can have weed killers or pesticides on them. Blockages can cause a lot of problems and can even be deadly if they aren’t treated. When a cat starts to swallow wool, plastic, or any indigestible material, an intestinal blockage can occur. The problem starts to arise when cats begin ingesting nonfood items or chewing dangerous objects. It’s also somewhat common for cats to chew on plastic bags that can contain gelatin. A cat may occasionally chew on grass without issues as well, so long as that grass hasn’t been treated with fertilizers or weed killers. If a cat is doing some light sucking or nursing on fuzzy items like blankets or stuffed animals, it’s not usually a problem. When Is It A Problem? (Picture Credit: Getty Images) Certain brain disorders like brain tumors may also cause this behavior, and pica can be the result of compulsive disorders. Leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are associated with eating nonfood items, as well as diabetes. Medical issues can result in a cat developing pica.If a cat is bored and not getting enough mental or physical stimulation, they may just chew on stuff because it’s something to do. Chewing and eating may also be a comforting thing to do that reduces stress. It can be an attention-seeking behavior, especially if your cat notices that you are reacting strongly to it. Anxiety or boredom can also cause a cat to eat nonfood items.
Some cats might nibble grass, and that’s a fairly normal behavior, but cats who start eating too much plant matter or chewing on houseplants may also be trying to compensate for a lack of nutrients in their diet. Inadequate amounts of fat or fiber in the diet may also lead to cats seeking nutrients from unusual sources. Cats might start to eat their own kitty litter if they are anemic. Deficiencies in the diet can cause cats to start eating strange things.There are, however, many possible reasons a cat might start to eat things that aren’t food, such as the following: Pica is still a bit of a mystery to most veterinarians, and it doesn’t exactly have one specific cause. What Are The Causes? (Picture Credit: Getty Images) Though pica tends to develop in younger cats, it can appear in older cats, too.
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